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What is Beef Chow Fun?
Beef Chow Fun (aka Beef Hor Fun) features juicy beef stir fried with bouncy rice noodles in a tasty stir-fry sauce with mung bean sprouts, green onions and garlic.
It's a popular Chinese dish served at many Chinese restaurants and also known as "Gon Chow Ngau Ho" in Cantonese.
"Gon Chow" means "dry stir-frying" and "Ngau Ho" means "beef rice noodle". This is because the noodles are not fried in a lot of sauce.
These Asian noodles serve well as a complete meal since they contain protein, carbs and veggies! But you can also serve it as a main dish with other Chinese dishes.
It's actually one of my favorite Chinese noodle dishes ever and also my mother's favourite dish. We love to order it for takeout and it's so good!
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
- Fresh Wide Rice Noodles: these are sold at many Asian grocery stores in the refrigerated noodle section in a plastic bag, in sheet form so you have to slice them into 1-inch wide noodles or rice noodle rolls (cheung fun) that need to be divided.
- Or substitute with wide dry rice noodles and soak them for 15 minutes in warm water until limp and firm.
- Flank steak: is the ideal cut for this recipe as it has little muscle fibres. Or substitute with sirloin tip steak, tri-tip steak, hanger steak, top round steak, chicken, pork shoulder or extra-firm tofu.
- Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil that has a low smoke point.
- Green onions: or substitute with thinly sliced white onions.
- Mung bean sprouts: or substitute with soy bean sprouts, julienned carrots, gai-lan, bok choy, or yu choy sum.
- Garlic
Beef Marinade
- Cornstarch: or substitute with potato starch to help velvet the beef.
- Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you’re gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce.
- Shaoxing wine: a Chinese rice cooking wine. Or substitute with Dry Sherry. For a non-alcoholic or gluten-free version, substitute with any broth.
- Baking soda: Do not skip this as it tenderizes the beef! You won't taste it as we're using a small amount.
- White pepper: or substitute with black pepper
- Neutral oil: to add moisture to the beef making it extra tender.
Noodle sauce
- Regular soy sauce
- Oyster sauce: or substitute with vegetarian stir fry sauce if you don't like oysters. If you're gluten-free: substitute with a gluten-free version.
- Dark soy sauce: this is thicker and darker than regular soy sauce.
- Sesame oil: for that nutty flavor but please omit if you're allergic.
- White granulated sugar: or substitute with cane sugar.
Note: Most Asian markets will carry these ingredients. You may find some at your select grocery store or online, like on Amazon.
Expert Tips
- Use fresh rice noodles for the best chewy texture! These are much chewier than rehydrated dried rice noodles.
- Rinse the bean sprouts with cold running water to remove any natural odors and strain out as much excess water as possible.
- To thinly slice beef, freeze flank steak uncovered for 45-60 minutes until the exterior is hard and use a sharp knife.
- Don't skip the baking soda or cornstarch in the beef marinade! These are the key ingredients in any Chinese marinade to create extra tender meat.
- Prepare the ingredients in advance as the cooking process is fast.
- Don't overcook the beef since we're stir-frying it later.
- Use two spatulas and gently lift the noodles from the bottom to toss them in the sauce to prevent noodle breakage.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make beef chow fun:
- Thinly slice flank steak against the grain on an angle into ¼-inch-thick pieces and transfer beef slices to a large bowl. Add marinade ingredients to the beef and mix well. Marinate for 15 minutes.
- Then in a small bowl, combine noodle sauce ingredients as listed and set aside.
- If needed, microwave fresh rice noodles for 2-3 times at 60 second intervals until soft and pliable. Gently separate them by hand after they've cooled down a bit.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Fry marinated beef in a single layer until cooked and slightly browned on edges. Remove and set aside.
- With the residual oil in the pan, fry scallion whites only and garlic for 10 seconds.
- Add remaining oil and toss in rice noodles with noodle sauce. Gently toss the noodles with the sauce using two spatulas lifting from the bottom.
- Toss back in cooked beef, bean sprouts, and scallion greens. Gently toss until everything is mixed. Remove off heat. Enjoy!
Storage
- Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.
- Freezer friendly? I don't recommend freezing beef chow fun because the rice noodles will change in texture after reheating.
Pairing Suggestions
Beef Chow Fun serves well with:
- starters like egg rolls, crab rangoons, egg drop soup, hot and sour soup
- fried rice, chow mein, lo mein, or soup noodles
- cooked vegetables like bok choy, spicy garlic bok choy, choy sum, gai lan, garlic green beans or stir fried snow pea leaves.
- protein dishes like Mongolian Chicken, Mongolian Beef, Honey Walnut Shrimp, Soy Garlic Tofu, Chinese Braised Tofu and more!
FAQ
Can I make beef chow fun in advance?
Beef chow fun can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To enjoy, reheat it in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop on medium heat.
Can I make beef chow fun gluten-free?
Beef chow fun can be made gluten-free by substituting both regular and dark soy sauce and oyster sauce with gluten-free versions that you can find online at or select Asian grocery stores. Then substitute the Shaoxing wine with rice vinegar, beef broth or chicken broth. Rice noodles are naturally gluten-free.
Can I add vegetables to beef chow fun?
Feel free to add more vegetables to beef chow fun such as thinly sliced carrots, bell peppers, bok choy, gai-lan, yu choy sum, baby corn, snap or snow peas.
Other recipes you may enjoy
📖 Recipe
Quick & Easy Beef Chow Fun
Chewy rice noodles stir fried with tender beef in a delicious savory sauce with bean sprouts, onions and garlic. This quick and easy beef chow fun is better-than-takeout saving you money! Made with simple ingredients and great for the family!
Ingredients
- 19 oz fresh rice noodles or see Notes below if using dried rice noodles
- ½ lb flank steak or see Notes below for beef substitutes
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- 4 scallions chopped into 1 inch segments with green and white parts separated
- 1 cup mung bean sprouts or soy bean sprouts, washed and strained
- 3 cloves garlic minced
Beef Marinade
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch or potato starch
- ½ tablespoon regular soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry wine or chicken/beef broth
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda do not skip!
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper or black pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
Noodle Sauce
- 1.5 tablespoon regular soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce or vegetarian stir fry sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoon white granulated sugar
Instructions
- Thinly slice flank steak against the grain on an angle into ¼-inch-thick pieces and transfer beef slices to a large bowl. Add marinade ingredients to the beef and mix well. Marinate for 15 minutes. (Tip: To thinly slice beef, freeze flank steak uncovered for 45-60 minutes until the exterior is hard and use a sharp knife).
- Then in a small bowl, combine noodle sauce ingredients as listed and set aside.
- If needed, microwave fresh rice noodles for 2-3 times at 60 second intervals until soft and pliable. Gently separate them by hand after they've cooled down a bit.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Fry marinated beef in a single layer until cooked and slightly browned on edges. Remove and set aside.
- With the residual oil in the pan, fry scallion whites only and garlic for 10 seconds.
- Add remaining oil and toss in rice noodles with noodle sauce. Gently toss the noodles with the sauce using two spatulas lifting from the bottom.
- Toss back in cooked beef, bean sprouts, and scallion greens. Gently toss until everything is mixed. Remove off heat. Enjoy!
Notes
Using dry flat wide rice noodles?
Follow package directions or soak 225 grams / 8 oz in lukewarm water for 15-30 minutes until limp but firm. Strain out as much excess water as possible.Substitutes for Flank Steak?
Or substitute with sirloin tip steak, tri-tip steak, hanger steak, top round steak. Enjoyed my recipe?Please leave a 5 star review (be kind)! Tag me on social media @christieathome as I'd love to see your creations!
Suggested Equipment & Products
Nutrition
Calories: 514kcal | Carbohydrates: 97g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 986mg | Potassium: 292mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 100IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2mg
Anna
This recipe is excellent and tastes just like the Chinese restaurants. Thank you!
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for making my recipe and for the kind review, Anna! I'm so glad you enjoyed it and it's restaurant quality 🙂
Rosemary
There is nothing better than Asian marinated beef with tender noodles! My most favorite Asian food of all time!!
Ella
I made this the other night and it was so good! I used a carbon steel wok and it tasted just like the Chinese restaurant. Thanks for the recipe!